Marewa Kindergarten

Welcome to Marewa Kindergarten, a well-resourced and centrally located establishment in Napier, New Zealand. Our experienced and dedicated team of teachers provide a warm and welcoming environment for children and families, fostering a strong sense of community and belonging. We take pride in getting to know each child and their family individually.

Safety is our top priority, and in the event of an emergency, our designated evacuation destination is Oldershaws, located above Marewa Pharmacy.

Our kindergarten offers two session times, Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 12:00pm and 8:30am to 2:30pm, providing flexibility for families.

At Marewa Kindergarten, we follow the philosophy of Dame Whina Cooper: "Take care of our children, take care of what they hear, take care of what they see, take care of what they feel. For how the children grow, so will be the shape of Aotearoa." With this in mind, we strive to create a safe, healthy, and caring environment where every child has equitable opportunities to learn and grow.

Our qualified and highly skilled teaching team builds strong and secure relationships with children, families, teachers, and the wider community, reflecting the cultural diversity of our community and the bi-cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. These relationships are essential for fostering a sense of belonging, well-being, and positive learning outcomes.

Recognizing that children live in a fast-paced world, we provide an unhurried environment that allows for holistic learning. We celebrate each child's uniqueness, including their needs, strengths, and cultures. Our nurturing environment focuses on social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development, with an emphasis on love, respect, and understanding.

We value both free play and structured communal group times as important learning opportunities. Teaching children to play safely and respect others, as well as the living and non-living environment, is a priority. We also emphasize the importance of routines, limits, and boundaries.

In partnership with families, we uphold the values of honesty, truthfulness, courtesy, and kindness. We strive to develop children's independence and resilience, preparing them for a smooth transition to school and future learning.

Our vision is that learning is child's play and teaching is a passion. Our mission is to ensure that children and parents look forward to their kindergarten experience.

At Marewa Kindergarten, children and their families experience a welcoming and inclusive environment. Our responsive and reciprocal relationships with families provide a strong foundation for learning and development. We support children's social competence through empathy and care, using effective positive guidance strategies. Our calm and well-resourced learning environment promotes oral language development, independence, and sustained engagement in learning.

For Māori children, we affirm their language and culture, recognizing whakapapa as integral to their sense of self, belonging, and connectedness. We incorporate Māori ways of being and sustainable practices to support children's knowledge of Māori world views. We also value ethnic diversity, acknowledging and affirming children's language and traditions within our program.

We invite you to join us at Marewa Kindergarten, where children's learning is playful and teaching is a passion. Together, we share and learn, creating a nurturing and enriching environment for all.